ATO WTF (FML)

FML

Delay in the processing of your 2011 income tax return

Dear [Purple Wyrm]

We are writing to advise of a delay in the processing of your recently lodged 2011 tax return. Your return will be reviewed as it has been identified as containing some information that we want to further investigate prior to issuing an assessment.

We are using specialist technology to help us identify and review returns that may contain missing and/or incorrect information. Claims outside normal individual or industry ranges will result in all aspects of a person’s tax position being reviewed. Last year 71% of these returns were adjusted prior to the notices of assessment issuing. This resulted in an increase in the amount of tax payable and in many instances a penalty was also imposed.

Some of the common issues identified include:
* understated income and/or fictitious payment summary details
* overstated or fraudulent deductions
* non entitlement to claimed offsets/rebate
* instances of identity takeover.

What we will do
We have a responsibility to the government and the community to ensure that everyone pays the correct amount of tax under the law. We will be undertaking further investigations and will compare the information in your return with data supplied by other parties, such as employers.

We anticipate your return is likely to be delayed for a minimum of 12 weeks while we conduct our investigations. We will hold your 2011 return until are investigations are finalised.

What happens next
If during the course of these investigations we are able to cross reference information you have reported in your tax return with information provided by other parties, we will issue your notice of assessment without the need to contact you further.

If we require further information to verify particular details within your return we will contact you and request it. If you have claimed work-related expenses exceeding $300 in total then you should ensure you have the written evidence available in case it is requested.

Credit interest is payable by the Australian Tax Office (ATO) in certain circumstances. If you are due a refund you may be entitled to an amount of credit interest as a result of the delay in issuing your notice of assessment. Where applicable we will automatically calculate and credit your account with the interest amount payable.

For more information
If you are expecting a refund and experiencing serious financial hardship we may be able to arrange for your return to be processed as a priority. Visit www.ato.gov.au and search for ‘hardship’.

If you then have any further questions please phone 13 28 61 between 8:00am and 6:00pm, Monday to Friday.

If you need assistance in languages other than English please phone the Translating and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50.

What if you need to phone us
We need to know we are talking to the right person before we can discuss your tax affairs. We will ask for details only you or someone you have authorised would know. An authorised person is osmeone who you have previously told us can act on your behalf. If you can, please have your tax file number (TFN) with you.

Yours sincerely

[Some ATO Pleb]

 

What the hell?!? What in the name of all that’s sane and holy would trigger the ATO to ‘investigate’ my tax return claim?!? I haven’t done anything the slightest bit different to the last ten claims I’ve put in and yet suddenly I’m under suspicion of tax fraud???

Not only does this mean that I won’t get my return in time for my holiday (which I was really hoping for) but the entire trip will have a cloud over it – not knowing if I’m going to be raided by the AFP or something on my return. Great. Thanks for that ATO.

(Need I add that I have never attempted to defraud the tax system in my life? I mean, sure, that’s exactly what someone who has attempted to defraud the tax system would say, but it’s still the truth.)

*Sigh*

Later: I just called the ATO to try and find out what’s going on and advise them I’ll be out of the country for a few weeks of their “investigation”, and it turns out they’re all on holidays until next week. Our tax dollars at work!

Watching the FSL

I’ve been keeping half an eye on the FSL lately, so was quite pleased to stumble across the FSL Tonight podcast . Serenity Valley (Go Browncoats!) are doing pretty well at the moment (apart from that fiasco on Vulcan) which is good to see – but I can’t help feel sorry for the Mudders (they can call themselves the “Jaynes” all they like, they’re still the Canton Mudders as far as I’m concerned).

They’re rapidly becoming the buttmonkeys of the league, but they’re really not that bad a team – they’ve just been promoted above their level. It was only that 31/0 home win over the Exterminators that pushed them through, and that was only down to the field conditions at Canton immobilising the entire Skaro side. Now they’ve joined the big leagues and are getting completely steamrolled. Poor guys.

Roll on the finals!

That time of year again…

Well, I’m going to be in New Zealand for the Triple J Hottest 100 this year (well, next year – ye ken well wha’ a mean) but that’s not going to prevent me from voting!

So here we go, in no particular order my top ten tracks of the year…

* Lanu/Megan Washington – Beautiful Trash – I’m actually not much of a fan of the album version, just this remix. On while on the subject of Megan Washington, what was she wearing on the Spicks and Specks finale? She looked like a half drowned transvestite.

* Seeker Lover Keeper – Even Though I’m A Woman – I rather suspect that guy is miming

* Luke Million – Arnold – Just about the funniest song of the year, even if the official video is like some kind of gay porn (and what’s with the fart noises?).

* Noah and the Whale – Waiting for my chance to come – Noah and the Whale have been doing some fantastic work this year. This is my current favourite from them.

* Florence & The Machine – Shake It Out – Quite possibly the most epic song on the year.

* Illy – Cigarettes – Can’t have the Hottest 100 without some Aussie Hip Hop.

* Crystal Fighters – At Home – I had terrible trouble tracking this one down because I thought it was Architecture in Helsinki.

* Yuksek – On A Train – Wouldn’t we all rather be on a train?

* The Vaccines – Norgaard – Very catchy. The lyrics are a bit creepy though, and is it really flattering to tell a girl she has cheeks like a great dane?

* Architecture In Helsinki – Escapee – Great song but what has Kellie done to her hair?

Songs that just missed the cut…

* The Wombats – Techno Fan – Just a really good, enjoyable pop-rock song.

* CSS – Hits Me Like A Rock – Catchy, cheery and will neatly style your webpage.

* Stanton Warriors – Get Up – Good, old fashioned electronica. Or dance. Or something like that.

* Jay-Z & Kanye West – No Church In The Wild – Tries so hard to be epic that it goes beyond epic into silly, and then just edges back into epic from the other side. And it sounds kind of like Thriller crossed with Kashmir.

* Bluejuice – Act Yr Age – Bluejuice doing what they do best, complete with distrubingly hilarious video clip.

And my prediction for number one? Well, if Somebody That I Used To Know doesn’t get into the top five at least I’ll be very surprised.

That’s it. Merry Christmas y’all!

International/Intestinal Instability

Had a great time catching up with the guys at Trigg Beach on Saturday (photos are up on my Flickr stream). I ended up taking home a fair bit of leftover food, and ate some of it yesterday, which probably has something to do with me waking up this morning with a case of either food poisoning or gastroenteritis. Not fun, but after drugging myself up and sleeping until 4:00 I’m feeling somewhat more human. Somewhat.

In other news Kim Jong Il is dead. Hold on to your hats everyone, this is likely to be a bumpy ride…

Heat Output

Five guys, six computers, ten monitors and one doorway. Something’s gotta give…

The air conditioning is broken. It is 28.1° Celsius in the office. We have two desktop fans, one free-standing fan and an evaporative cooler running in an attempt to bring the temperature down. It’s like working in a tropical cyclone.

I know I said I don’t have cancer earlier, but if these working conditions continue, I may well catch it.

Later: We’ve just got another free-standing fan. The temperature is a balmy 26.9.

Close Bitnami banner
Bitnami